Others follow advice and imitate celebrities, but you start by pretending to be a god?

On the platform, Yuanshi Tianzun keenly sensed the unusual phenomena in Lin Nan's inner world. He glanced at it casually and took it all in.

The mind of a sage is always difficult to fathom and predict, and has rarely been disturbed throughout history.

But at this moment, a slight surprise arose in the heart of the Primordial Celestial Venerable.

"This seems to be the kind of method that my senior brother Taishang gathered with my junior brother Tongtian to deduce in the past." He thought to himself, "This Lin Nan is actually going to master this method! No wonder my senior and junior brothers all acknowledge him. Once this method is mastered, although its power is still weak, it is enough to encompass everything and has endless room for growth."

Yuanshi Tianzun looked at Lin Nan and thought to himself, "Although he is not as strong as us Three Pure Ones who are born with one strength, he has no upper limit. Given time, he may be able to achieve extraordinary things."

Despite these thoughts, the Primordial Celestial Venerable did not stop preaching. He continued to explain the profound Primordial Dao to Lin Nan, bit by bit.

Lin Nan was immersed in the ocean of Daoist teachings. That bit of Jade Purity Primordial Qi was slowly gestating within his body, as if waiting for the right moment to bloom with dazzling light.

Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang and his disciples boarded the steam train of Chechi and left Chechi. As soon as they left, they all felt somewhat "unaccustomed".

Having lived in Chechi for five years, apart from Sun Wukong, the original Monkey King who was relatively adaptable to his original environment, Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing had long been accustomed to the conveniences of Chechi. The modern facilities and amenities in terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation made their lives very comfortable.

Therefore, upon suddenly leaving Chechi, a strong sense of discomfort immediately overwhelmed me. It felt as if I had suddenly returned from a prosperous civilized society to a backward feudal society; or as if I had suddenly arrived in a remote tribe from a modern city, where everything seemed so unfamiliar and inconvenient.

After leaving Chechi, Tang Sanzang found it difficult to change his habits overnight. The sound of him bowing to Buddha was no longer as frequent as before, and he no longer chanted "Amitabha Buddha" so often.

At the Great Thunderclap Temple, they quickly noticed this change in Tang Sanzang and his disciples. Just then, Tang Sanzang and his disciples still needed to overcome several more hardships before they could successfully complete their pilgrimage.

Not far from the car, they stumbled upon a village.

“There’s not a trace of demonic energy here, but we didn’t see a village like this when we came here,” Sun Wukong said after carefully examining the place with his fiery eyes.

However, he was also a little puzzled as to why a village had suddenly appeared here.

"Could they be people who reclaimed wasteland in Chechi?" Pigsy suggested.

During his years in Chechi, he became very familiar with all aspects of Chechi's affairs. Among them was the "land reclamation" plan, in which the Chechi court encouraged the people to reclaim land from the outside world and introduced many incentive policies to promote land development and utilization.

With these questions in mind, the master and his disciples set off again towards the village.

As they approached the village entrance, they saw people slumped in the sun, seemingly lost in thought, their eyes vacant and lifeless. Looking around, they saw many similar figures in the village; many villagers appeared idle and seemed to have lost their zest for life.

"This village..." Tang Sanzang frowned, increasingly sensing that this village was somewhat unusual. He stepped forward and respectfully asked an old man, "Old man, may I ask where this place is?"

The old man replied weakly, "Our village is called 'Wuxing Village'."

"Why is it called 'Wuxing Village'?" Tang Sanzang continued to ask, his heart filled with doubt.

The old man sighed deeply, his tone filled with negativity and helplessness: "Because in our village, although we live a prosperous life, with no worries about food and drink, and no need to worry about making a living, everyone feels that life is devoid of joy. Apart from the daily routine of work, the whole village has no other hobbies or interests, and life is meaningless."

"I see." Tang Sanzang and his disciples were all somewhat moved after hearing this. This was the first time they had encountered such a situation on their journey to the West. Along the way, the people they had met were either struggling to make a living, threatened by demons, or trapped by severe weather; their lives were filled with hardship and helplessness. Only the people of Chechi were free from worries about food and clothing, living a stable life without these troubles. But this Wuxing Village was completely different from what they had seen before, which was truly unexpected.

"Why are you so uninterested?" Pigsy stepped forward again and asked, "Since you have no worries about food and drink, why not pursue something of a higher level?"

“Life is not just about eating and drinking; we should have more to pursue,” Pigsy continued, a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

"So what should we be pursuing?" the villagers asked, gathering around the group. Their expressions held a mixture of negativity and anticipation, as if they were waiting for Tang Sanzang and his disciples to provide a satisfactory answer.

Before the high monk Tang Sanzang could speak, Zhu Bajie interjected, "Since you have no worries about food and drink, you should naturally pursue something higher. For example, let more people have enough to eat and wear, and make the world a better place."

However, Pigsy's answer left the villagers of Wuxing Village looking at each other in bewilderment, clearly not expecting him to give such an answer.

In those long years, a strange experience quietly unfolded.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Pigsy had experienced something extraordinary in Chechi Kingdom over the past few years. He joined the "Great Harmony Society" and spent his days traveling through the streets and alleys, tirelessly spreading its ideals. As time went on, he himself became a firm believer in these ideals, filled with longing for a world of great harmony.

Five years passed quickly, and Pigsy would tell everyone he met, "Everyone in this world should be equal, and the world should be united as one..." He traveled around tirelessly for this ideal in his heart.

One day, as Pigsy was getting into his ramblings, Tang Sanzang quickly stepped forward to stop him: "Pigsy, stop talking nonsense."

At this moment, the villagers of Wuxing Village surrounded Tang Sanzang and his disciples, their eyes filled with anticipation, all waiting for Tang Sanzang to speak. However, Tang Sanzang and his disciples vaguely sensed an eerie atmosphere emanating from the village. On the surface, the village seemed prosperous and well-fed, but the villagers were all listless and lethargic, as if they had lost all interest in life.

This was truly perplexing. The master and his disciples looked around. There were no magnificent buildings in the village, but the granaries were piled high. Even more strangely, no one was working in the fields, yet the villagers seemed to have no worries about food and clothing.

Sha Wujing gently tugged at Tang Sanzang's sleeve and whispered, "Master, although this village has ample material resources, the villagers are empty inside. I think it might be possible to teach them Buddhist teachings to resolve their inner confusion."

Sha Wujing's experiences in Chechi Kingdom over the past few years were quite unique. On the one hand, he worked as a caregiver in various medical clinics, witnessing countless deaths and separations with his mortal body, which instilled in him a greater reverence for life. On the other hand, unlike Zhu Bajie, he did not join the "Great Harmony Society" and firmly believed in the prevailing ideals of universal harmony and equality in Chechi Kingdom. Therefore, Sha Wujing always remembered that he was a Buddhist disciple.

"Amitabha." Tang Sanzang uttered the Buddha's name after a long time. At that moment, he seemed to have returned to the image of the high monk who was devoted to Buddhism and cared for all living beings.

He clasped his hands together, bowed deeply to the surrounding villagers, and said, "This humble monk comes from the Great Tang Dynasty in the East. After enduring countless hardships to travel to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures, I have now completed my mission and am about to return. If any of you are interested, this humble monk is willing to impart Mahayana Buddhist teachings to you, which may help alleviate the emptiness in your hearts."

No sooner had the words been spoken than an old man asked with a puzzled look, "Why do you say 'maybe it can resolve'? Can't Mahayana Buddhism completely solve our problems?"

Tang Sanzang smiled slightly and said, "Although the Buddha's teachings are wonderful, worldly matters cannot be solved by Buddhism alone. You may wish to explore the many mysteries of the world. Everyone has their own rights and pursuits. Heading west, there is a country called Chechi. The people there are spiritually rich, and even without Buddhism, they can reach that level."

"Therefore, this humble monk dares not assert that Mahayana Buddhism is the only spiritual remedy in the world," Tang Sanzang said sincerely. This was a profound realization he had gained after living in Chechi Kingdom for several years.

During his years in Chechi Kingdom, Tang Sanzang never saw anything related to Buddhism. However, the people of Chechi Kingdom lived very happily, and their spiritual world was incredibly rich. This subtle influence forced Tang Sanzang, who was about to become a Buddha, to admit that while Mahayana Buddhism could help people, it was not unique or irreplaceable.

However, the villagers of Wuxing Village clearly did not agree with Tang Sanzang's remarks. They all showed their dissatisfaction, and one complained, "We have also heard of the renown of Mahayana Buddhism, which is said to bring peace to the world. Is there really no other way besides Mahayana Buddhism?"

An elderly villager questioned, "Since there is no Mahayana Buddhism in Chechi Kingdom, why are the people's spiritual world so rich?"

Tang Sanzang shook his head and slowly said, "In the past few years, I have been arranged to experience the lives of people from all walks of life, and have gained a deep understanding of the lives of the people of Chechi Kingdom from different perspectives. Through the practice of Buddhism, I almost attained Buddhahood, so my wisdom is naturally extraordinary. Even in other fields, I am confident that I can make some achievements."

"During my years in Chechi Kingdom, I have gradually come to understand its true nature. The philosophy promoted in Chechi Kingdom can be called Great Harmony, or society, or even civilization. In this society, everyone can play their part and is an indispensable member. Individuals drive the group, and the group in turn feeds back to the individual, achieving mutual sublimation." In just a few words, Tang Sanzang revealed the essential characteristics of Chechi Kingdom.

The word "society" is the cornerstone of the Chechi Kingdom.

"Hmph!" A villager from Wuxing Village snorted and said, "According to you, we might as well go and seek refuge in Chechi Kingdom. Why bother listening to your talk of 'Mahayana Buddhism'!"

Upon hearing the villagers' evaluation of Mahayana Buddhism, Tang Sanzang quickly said, "That's not true. Mahayana Buddhism also has its merits."

Then, Tang Sanzang explained the wonders of Mahayana Buddhism one by one. His words included both praise for the Kingdom of Chechi and an objective evaluation of Mahayana Buddhism.

At this moment, a villager suddenly asked, "So, are you a Buddhist monk or a person from Chechi Kingdom?" This question immediately stunned Tang Sanzang.

He fell into deep thought, remembering his identity—a Tang Dynasty monk on a pilgrimage to the West. His journey westward was to retrieve the sacred scriptures and save all sentient beings. But unexpectedly, after living in Chechi Kingdom for several years, he found himself somewhat lost.

This question prompted Tang Sanzang to put his hands together in prayer and chant a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha, this humble monk has fallen into delusion."

After some self-reflection, Tang Sanzang raised his head again, only to find that the so-called Wuxing Village had vanished without a trace, and the villagers who had just been surrounding him were also gone.

"Hmm?" Tang Sanzang looked puzzled and quickly asked his disciple.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Master, this Wuxing Village never existed. Those villagers were all Bodhisattvas and Arhats from Mount Ling. This was to test our character!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang suddenly understood. He clasped his hands together, uttered a Buddhist chant, and felt a pang of guilt. But having passed this test, he was no longer confused.

Meanwhile, in the distant sky, auspicious clouds swirled, and Buddha's light shone everywhere. A group of Bodhisattvas and Arhats sat serenely atop the auspicious clouds, looking down upon Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

The leading Bodhisattva said, "This time, we used our supernatural powers to test Tang Sanzang at Wuxing Village, so that he could break free from the influence of Chechi Kingdom. Tang Sanzang endured five years of hardship in Chechi Kingdom, and his Buddhist heart was clouded. This ordeal at Wuxing Village can also be considered a test for him."

"Next, Tang Sanzang and his disciples will have to overcome two more difficulties before they can achieve their goal."

Meanwhile, in another mysterious place—the Miro Palace of Yuanshi Tianzun—Lin Nan slowly awoke. By this time, Yuanshi Tianzun's sermon had already ended.

Lin Nan gained a great deal from this lecture, but he had only initially digested what he had learned. Undoubtedly, the content of a single lecture could not be fully understood by Lin Nan on the spot. However, these gains would become his foundation, helping him to gradually improve his cultivation in the years to come.

The moment Lin Nan awoke, a wondrous change occurred in the inner landscape manifesting around him. Among the many unusual phenomena, the original primordial energy within the Three Pure Ones' Qi at the top of his head began to sprout and transform.

Although Lin Nan had not yet fully comprehended the "Jade Purity Realm" during this lecture, and had not been able to completely transform his own aura into Jade Purity Qi, his path ahead was no longer uncertain. Coupled with the Shangqing Qi and Taiqing Qi he already possessed, this final strand of Jade Purity Qi was no longer an insurmountable chasm. (End of Chapter)